The Winter 2026 girls basketball season tips off on Thursday, marking the start of a new chapter in Western Mass. girls basketball.

The Pioneer Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference (PVIAC) made significant changes to the conference structure in WMass, with 38 girls basketball programs joining new conferences this fall. Putnam Voc and Turners Falls also rejoin the fray this fall, as the Beavers did not field a team last year, while the Thunder have not fielded a team since 2023.

On its surface, the 58 girls basketball programs in WMass are split amongst 10 conferences, most varying between six and seven teams, with the Tri-County South conference carrying eight squads.

An anonymous survey was sent out to coaches across Western Mass. to hear their sentiments about what the new confe

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